Circle of the Corpsegrove
The Circle of the Corpsegrove is composed of druids who enforce the natural cycle of life, death, decay, and birth. They view death not as an end, but as a new beginning, and have few qualms about sending creatures to an early grave. Druids spend their lives releasing the energy trapped in the dead to imbue the earth with fertility and growth. Although they are commonly associated with the dark art of necromancy, these druids consider undeath the an affront to the natural cycle.
Harvest Life
At 2nd level, you can reap energy from death to restore life. When you or an ally kills a Small or larger creature within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to restore hit points to the slayer equal to your druid level. The dead creature rapidly decomposes into dust and cannot be the target of spells that require a corpse or other remains. Once a target is healed with this feature, they cannot benefit from it until they take a short or long rest. Constructs and undead are immune to both effects of this feature.
Touch of Decay
Also at 2nd level, you learn the chill touch cantrip. It is considered a druid spell for you.
Circle Spells
Your connection to life and death infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells. Once you gain access to a circle spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn’t appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you.
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | entangle, ray of sickness |
| 5th | ray of enfeeblement, spike growth |
| 7th | plant growth, vampiric touch |
| 9th | grasping vine, blight |
Fertilize
Upon reaching 6th level, plants conjured by your spells can be infused with the plentiful nutrients of carrion to grow rich and luxuriant. You can enhance certain spells with an additional effect if a number of dead creatures equal to the spell level of the spell are within the spell's range. The creatures are consumed by the spell. Undead and construct creatures cannot be used for this feature.
The DC for any effect is equal to your spell save DC for that spell.
| Spell | Effect |
|---|---|
| entangle | A creature that starts its turn in or enters the area must make a saving throw or be restrained. |
| spike growth | A creature that is forcibly moved in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw or trip and fall prone, taking additional damage as if it had moved an additional 5 feet. |
| plant growth (1action) | The overgrown plants grow large and thick enough to heavily obscure the area. |
| plant growth (8hours) | Affected plants immediately bear twice the amount of fruit or food. |
| grasping vine | The spell may be cast on a space occupied by a corpse. The vine grapples any creature it pulls. The grapple ends if it targets another creature. |
| wall of thorns | If a creature fails its saving throw, it becomes tangled in the wall and is restrained. |
Grave Inoculation
Starting at 10th level, the ills of death no longer plague you. You are immune to disease. You also have resistance to necrotic damage.
Rebirth
By 14th level, your essence is immersed in the endless cycle. When you die, if your entire body is placed upon or buried in an area of natural growth, your soul plants itself in the soil and begins germinating a new body. An area with a radius of 5 feet withers and dies as you absorb the life energy of the foliage. Your corpse decomposes into the soil. This feature does not work if you are missing any significant part of your body, such as a limb or your head. The parts need not be attached, but must be present.
Over the course of 1 day, your soul incubates a new body out of the biomass from the rotting vegetation and your cadaver. The grown body is identical to your previous one. You recall all your memories and life experiences and retain any capabilities you had at the time of your death. You take a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Every time you finish a long rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it disappears. If you die while you have this penalty, you cannot use this feature.
If the process is disturbed or interrupted, such as by excavation or a spell that dispels magic effects, you do not resurrect and you die permanently. You can only be resurrected by a true resurrection or wish spell.
Credits
Subclass by StrayChowChow
Art "Death's Roar" by The-Hare (the-hare.deviantart.com)
